The Wedding
by louise4
Summary: The outside world sees the wedding of Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter is seen as the perfect ending to the story of the Boy Who Lived. However, things are never as they seem. GW? HP? Hint: SLASH!


**DISCALIMER**: I own nothing.  Damn it.

**AUTHOR'S NOTES**: This is the first in what I like to call my **_One Strange Day_** series, whereby Harry and Draco wake up one day and realise they're in love – don't ask why, or how, or anything like that, just be glad they are!

The song here is 'The Wedding' by Tom Robinson, which is, I am assured by the lyrics web site, the 'B' side of the 1986 single "Nothing like the Real Thing" and also taken from the album "Still Loving You".

The Wedding 

_It was a winter Sunday in the centre of town_

_In the middle of the advent madness_

_Fading daylight, gusts of rain_

_Christmas carols playing on the brain - and on the radio_

The wedding was held on the first Saturday in December because ever since Harry had shown her Pride and Prejudice she had known that she wanted a winter wedding, wanted to drive off across the snow with the man she loved.

As the doors opened and the music began to play, the gasping intakes of breath convinced her that she did look beautiful.  Clutching her father's arm she began the long walk down the aisle, praying that everything would go alright.

_I could see the other guests arriving _

_In their Range Rovers and MG midgets _

_Sprayed lime green and vomit orange_

_Princess Di lookalikes in county twinsets_

_And down-at-heel Cambridge playboys_

_Wearing Moss Bros suits and hand-me-down sports jackets_

_The theatrical profession at prayer... and I felt so out of place._

She looked around the church, surround by the faces of people she loved.

Her brother Bill sitting with his wife Fleur was beaming proudly.

Charlie too was watching with a beaming grin which spoke his approbation of the match she had made for herself.

In front of Charlie were the twins, Fred with fiancé Angelina and George with his arm around a glowing Katie whose pregnancy was just beginning to show.

And then Ron and Hermione, Ron sitting close to wife Lavender, still clearly miffed about not being asked to be best man but also thrilled that his best friend was marrying his sister.  And Hermione, like a sister to the girl who had only brothers, sitting lips pursed in mild disapproval but still thrilling at the events of the day, hand intertwined with former head boy of Hogwarts and now her fiancé, Terry Boot.

Finally there was Percy, barely reconciled to the family when he caused another stir when it was revealed he was living with Oliver Wood, and not in the flatmates sense of things.  Fortunately it was impossible to hate Oliver so the Weasley's gained yet another son.  Percy, she saw, was torn between amusement and disapproval as he watched the events unfold.

_Heads were turning and the whispering spread_

_As you stood in the aisle staring straight ahead_

_Like Lazarus risen up from the dead in a formal morning coat;_

_Prayers were offered and a lesson was read_

_As one or two crocodile sniffles were shed_

_And somebody whispered "Doesn't she just look wonderful"_

_With a dry crack in the voice._

And there at the end of the aisle was Harry, looking truly handsome in his formal clothes, tugging nervously on the sleeves as he watched her walk towards him.

She smiled at him, a tender, reassuring smile.  Everything _will_ be ok.

He smiled back, because he trusted her.

Footsteps on the stone behind her, and a general gasp showed that someone unexpected had entered.

Draco Malfoy slid into the back pew of the church, watching her process down towards Harry, the scolding voice in his head taunting him: _'Doesn't she just look wonderful.'_

He stared ahead without seeing, watching the bride and the groom, wondering why he was here.

But I felt like a leper and a traitor too 

_To everything we once knew was true_

_You avoided my eye and I knew that you knew_

_And something in my heart screamed no..._

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…" the sombre tones of the vicar pulled their attention, dragging them back to the front of church, everyone wondering at the presence of three Slytherins at this all Gryffindor wedding.

_Because it isn't the bride that I wanna kiss_

_It isn't your friendship I'm gonna miss_

_And it's not that I wanted a life like this   _

_But I'm doing fine... I'm doing fine_

'You moron,' the taunting voice was back and Draco really, really hated that voice, 'what on earth made you come here?  What did you hope to achieve?  Sit back and look at your life for a second will you.  Nice job, nice house, something akin to the social standing Lucius sacrificed so long ago.  Seen all that?  Then why the hell do you want to sacrifice it here today?  To become the talk of the wizarding world, the target for all their scorn and derision.  AGAIN.  On what level is it a good idea to be the guy known forever more as the one who ruined the wedding day of the Boy Who Lived and his school sweetheart?  Look at her, so beautiful, so happy.  What place is there for you here?

The voice, Draco decided, was making sense.  He was a Slytherin after all, some one designed to listen to his head over his heart.  Does a Slytherin even have a heart?  Exactly, so it couldn't be throwing its hands up in the air in despair, could it now?

Why was he here?

_Still I remembered all the places and people we'd known_

_All the summers we spent on that disused aerodrome_

_All the double-edged jokes in our private code_

_In our very own private language_

_And if I could still ride my bike home across that windswept runway_

_Well I'd do it again today..._

Yes, that maybe had some truth to it…

_And now here we were all these years later_

_Still living in the shadow of a mushroom cloud_

_As we mumbled the Lord's prayer together_

_And asked for the peace which passeth all understanding;_

_And if I sound bitter it's because I'm alone_

_Under alien colours, in an alien zone_

_And though I know the language well it isn't my own_

_And I really don't belong here_

He had no business here.

He would leave.

_Because it isn't the bride that I wanna kiss_

_And it isn't your friendship I'm gonna miss_

_And it's not that I wanted a life like this   _

_But a part of my childhood died_

"If anyone here present knows of any reason why these two people should not be joined in holy matrimony speak now, or forever hold your peace," the age old words echoed in the silence as the congregation exchanged smirking smiles.  After all, who on earth could object to so right a union between two people so evidently designed for each other?

No one was objecting yet still the priest waited.

'Shit, he's not going to say anything,' panicked blue eyes met the priests questioning ones, 'what the hell is he playing at.  Stop the damn wedding Draco, this is it for you, this is your chance.'

Still no one objected, still the priest waited.

The footsteps echoed in the silence as the now curious congregation started and turned to see Draco stand and leave.

_No, it isn't the bride that I wanna kiss_

_It isn't your friendship I'm gonna miss_

_It's not that I wanted it to end like this   _

_With water and wine, water and wine..._

He couldn't do it, wouldn't do it.  Just this one time he would do something decent, act against type and do something truly unselfish.  She would have her perfect day without his unfounded hopes, un-encouraged desires intruding upon the day and sullying something beautiful.  He owed her that much, he reasoned with himself, after so many years of friendship and trust, so many years of watching and enjoying just being near…in this, for this day he would be truthful.

Her wedding, the funeral for his hopes and dreams.

'Goodbye,' he mouthed, allowing himself one last look before leaving, footsteps echoing in the silence he had barely registered.

_Well I guess I'm just paying my respects to you_

_For the sake of who we used to be..._

'Goodbye,' he mouthed the words but she saw them as she turned, beautiful even in her anger.

"Draco Phinneas Malfoy get back here and object to this wedding before I do something Harry'll regret," she bellowed in a manner so reminiscent of their mother that Fred and George both ducked instinctively.

He stopped dead, his face a picture of confusion but she was not about to take any prisoners.

"Well?" she glared impatiently, "come on then.  I never took you for a coward."

"What?" he appealed, wondering if he was dreaming.

"For God's sake.  Are you or are you not in love with Harry?"

"Yes, but…" he looked so apologetic that she wished for a moment she had given him some clue as to what she had been planning.  "Nothing happened Gin, I promise.  I didn't say anything, or try anything or anything, I promise.  I wasn't going to ruin this for you, God I shouldn't even have come.  I just wanted to say goodbye."

"Don't you dare!  For someone so bright you are remarkably dumb.  Both of you," she rounded on Harry now, "the guy's been pining after you for over a year and you didn't even notice, being too busy mooning over him!  Men!  At least he had the excuse of thinking we were together.  You are useless, both of you."

"Huh?"

Coming closer she took both his hands in hers, speaking more gently now.

"Draco I'm not marrying Harry," she ignored the outbursts from her parents and most of her brothers, "I was never marrying Harry.  I was never anything with Harry, he was just a helpful assumption to pacify my family.  I shouldn't have let it get this far, I suppose, but I honestly thought you'd fight for him.  Slytherins, I was reliably informed, are selfish and determined when they really want something."

"Again, huh?" Draco appealed, finally rescued by another voice, one which caused Ginny's demeanour to soften and a smile spread across her face.

"Sometimes Draco," Blaise Zabini explained, "you don't question it, you just thank which ever God happens to be listening that somehow this Gryffindor has managed to fall in love with you.  Just be thankful."

Ginny had forgotten everything but the man she had come there to marry once he spoke.  Grasping his hand she faced her confused parents, biting her lip nervously.

"Mum, Dad, this is Blaise, the man I'm going to marry.  I know you've probably got loads of questions but I really want your blessing on this.  Please."

"But what about Harry?" Molly began, gesturing to the boy who was currently shooting shy glances at a dazed Draco, neither boy having any idea of what to say now.  "This boy, Zabini, he's a Slytherin, Ginny, his father was a Death Eater."

"Mum," her tone was firmer now, "I _want_ your blessing, I don't need it.  I've checked.  And Percy'll give me away if you won't."

"Don't be hasty," her father soothed, "we are just…confused as to why you went to such lengths to deceive us."

"I didn't deceive, you just assumed, well at first.  I knew you'd throw a fit about Blaise before we even had a chance.  Then he proposed and Ron saw the ring and just assumed that Harry had proposed, though I swear we'd never said or done anything to make him think that.  And then I thought it would be a good way to give Draco a good kick up the arse, make him fight for Harry.  I was assured Slytherins do that kind of thing."

Molly pursed her lips, ready to say something hasty but her husband spoke before she got the chance, "Ginny, dear, we're…displeased that you felt the need to lie to us, but this is your wedding day.  Marry him, if you will.  All we can ask is that you give us a chance.  Don't shut us out of your life."

"Thanks Dad," she hugged him, though in her heart she knew she faced a struggle with her mother.  Smiling, she took Blaise's hand and nodded to the priest to continue.

Speaking in a clear voice, looking directly at Molly the priest resumed the ceremony.  "If anyone here present knows of any reason why these two people should not be joined in holy matrimony speak now, or forever hold your peace."

Clamping down on his wife's arm, Arthur smiled as his only daughter said her wedding vows.  She had always been headstrong, he reflected, and the look on her face when she looked at this boy, this Blaise, was the same one Percy wore when looking at Oliver when he though no one else was looking: in love, and dazed by the experience.  And that was all he had ever wanted for his two most complex children, a happily ever after.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife.  You may kiss the bride."

As the congregation clapped politely, still rather confused by what had happened, Mr and Mrs Blaise Zabini led the way out of the church, friends and family filing out behind them.  In front of him, Arthur watched his family leaving.  Bill held his sleeping son to his chest with one hand, helping his wife out of the pew with the other.  Charlie was making conversation with a young blonde girl he had often seen visiting Ginny, Pansy or something he believed.  Charlie seemed smitten anyway.  Then came Fred and Angelina, theirs would be the next wedding, he guessed, though hopefully less eventful.  And there was George, supporting Katie as if he believed she might break if left to walk unaided.  And Ron, of course, his youngest son, married soon after graduating but not making a bad choice for all his haste.  Then there was Percy, talking quietly to Oliver and looking more relaxed than Arthur ever remembered his child looking when he was younger.  And just up ahead of him he watched as Harry and Draco slowly interlocked their fingers and smiled shyly at each other as if amazed by their daring.

Yes, he thought happily, my family are just fine.  And it looks as if Ginny and Percy have their happy endings sorted out just fine, Harry too.

Now if I can just convince Molly of that…

The End 

Well, what did you think?

Please review.

Bye for now,

_Louise_


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